July was a busy and very productive month for AFA. We are closely tracking legislative proposals that affect Airmen and their families, and we are engaging in several issues that are critical to the Air Force. Two of those issues are the proposed Space Corps and the current pilot shortage.

Space

Some in Congress have advocated for a separate Space Corps. The House of Representatives' plan would create a Space Corps within the Air Force to oversee military operations. This new corps would be similar to how the Marine Corps is a distinct service under the Department of the Navy and would be the first newly created military branch since the Air Force in 1947.

Secretary of Defense Mattis and Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson wrote letters opposing this idea. Space is a contested environment and as a nation, we will not go to war without space assets. AFA supports the Air Force’s view that a Space Corps is not needed at this time. AFA also supports Air Force efforts to consolidate Space Operations Command and Control into a single, joint command-and-control center. We clearly welcome the dialogue this issue has engendered. Even though we disagree with the proposed solution at this time, the fact that members of congress are fully engaged in enhancing and securing our nation’s space assets is a good thing. General Tom Moorman, the first Commander of Air Force Space Command, said the first Gulf War was the first space war. As we look forward, China has made space a priority and North Korea is working on signal jammers. Our country must be prepared as the next war will be fought in air and space.

Pilot Shortage

In our August 2016 edition of Air Force Magazine, Lt Col Jason Cockrum, manager of Combat Air Forces career fields said the pilot shortage is “a huge problem…obviously it’s taken us a decade-plus to get here, and it’s going to take a decade to get out of it.” One of the reasons behind the critical shortage of Air Force pilots was the untimely reduction of flying squadrons. Cockrum said that the Air Force was able to cut its way out of shortages—fewer squadrons meant fewer cockpits to fill. However, Cockrum emphasized that the old approach will not work this time. “The problem now is, we’ve reached the floor,” he said. “There’s no more cut that you can take and execute the mission that we’re tasked to execute.”

This has resulted in a pilot shortage of 1,555, including 1,211 fighter pilots.

As Vice Chief of Staff, I witnessed the directed reductions of combat-coded fighter squadrons by nearly 60 percent—from 134 to 55—since the 1991 Gulf War. Because the airlines are hiring and the high operations tempo has not subsided over the last 26 years, retaining our most experienced pilots has been difficult. Another factor bearing on pilot retention is “queep,” which is a term used to describe extra duties, unrelated to flying—duties that negatively impact work-life balance. Interestingly, the Air Force has enough pilot applicants. The problem is they are not retaining enough of them.

Last September, Air Force Chief of Staff David Goldfein told the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), “What we found in the past—and we’ve been through this before because airlines have hired before—is quality of service is as important as quality of life. In addition, quality of service is making sure that you’re given the opportunity to be the best you can be in your chosen occupation. Pilots who do not fly, maintainers who do not maintain, controllers who do not control, will walk. And, there’s not enough money in the Treasury to keep them in if we don’t give them the resources to be the best they can be.”

General Goldfein is aggressively tackling this critical issue. One of his key initiatives is revitalizing the squadrons and improving work-life balance by reducing non-essential training and additional duties. He is also streamlining the transition between active duty and the Air National Guard and Reserve. General Goldfein is partnering with organizations like the Civil Air Patrol to train a new generation of pilots for the nation and for the Air Force. AFA is partnering in his efforts.

Stay tuned as we continue to seek the best possible outcomes for our nation’s space operations and pilot shortage.

Our recently updated AFA Breakfast Series on Capitol Hill has been a great success. Each event has sold out, and the program’s mission to facilitate communication between Air Force leaders and industry, Airmen, government and the media is ensuring the Air Force voice is heard. In July, AFA was honored to host two distinguished speakers as a part of the series.

First, we heard from General Mike Holmes, Commander, Air Combat Command on July 11. Gen Holmes assured attendees that ACC would point their efforts toward three main areas focusing on rebuilding readiness, building leaders, and bringing the future faster. In order to fulfill this vision, ACC needs help from outside the US Air Force to overcome obstacles in their path. The issues include; a lack of a predictable budget that also gives Air Force leadership the spending flexibility to fit mission requirements, a severe congestion of the security clearance pipeline which has been barring Airmen from being able to work in the field which they were trained, and an absence of jurisdiction to handle incidents involving small unmanned aerial system and to adequately protect the Air Force’s assets. Read the full recap of Gen Holmes’ breakfast in AFA’sAir Force Magazine.

On July 26, AFA hosted General Dave Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Gen Goldfein spoke before another sold-out audience on his priorities as Chief, again focusing on readiness, advancing technology and ensuring the Air Force is prepared for the future. Gen Goldfein proudly stated that the United States’ “greatest strategic and asymmetric advantage” are our alliances, which is something US adversaries lack. When asked to comment on Congress’ proposed Space Corps, Gen Goldfein noted that both the Air Force and Congress all want to reach the same goal – to maintain dominance in air and space – but simply need to evaluate the best way to do so. Read more about Gen Goldfein’s breakfast in AFA’s Air Force Magazine.

Upcoming Breakfast Series

We hope you will join us for the next AFA Breakfast Series on Capitol Hill on October 18, 2017 with General Lori Robinson, Commander, USNORTHCOM and General Darren McDew, Commander, USTRANSCOM in November (date to be determined).

Thank You to Our Sponsors

A special thank you to our AFA Breakfast Series sponsors: Aurora Flight Sciences, General Dynamics, Harris Corp., Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK, Pratt & Whitney, The Roosevelt Group and SAAB.

The Breakfast Series is an excellent opportunity for sponsors to meet, greet and listen to senior Air Force decision makers. Unique sponsorship opportunities are available for these events. If you are interested in sponsoring, please contact Fred Ullman at fullman@afa.org or 703-247-5842.

One of the Air Force Association’s primary missions is to advocate and educate Congress and the American public on behalf of the Air Force. In July, AFA supported an Air Mobility Caucus Breakfast on Capitol Hill, and AMC Commander, General Carlton D. Everhart was the keynote speaker. Also attending were Co-Chairs Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-WA) and Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) and Air National Guard Chief, Lt Gen L. Scott Rice.

Also in July, AFA personnel: Keith Zuegel, AFA Senior Director of Government Relations, Mark Tarpley, Oklahoma State President, and AFA interns Olivia Jarvis and Trent Briscoe made their way to Capitol Hill. They met with Congressmen, personal staff members, professional staff members, and Air Force fellows to learn about some of the most important issues facing Congress and to advocate for issues on behalf of the Air Force. The group discussed an array of issues including the Space Corps, the Air Force personnel deficit, a potential privatization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the need for recapitalization and modernization of Air Force weapons systems.

This month AFA attended a reception hosted by an organization called Mission: Readiness on Capitol Hill. The purpose of the reception was to honor general officers who currently serve on Capitol Hill as elected representatives. Among the honorees noted were Lt Gen (Ret.) Jack Bergman, USMC, Brig Gen Steve Stivers, USA, and Brig Gen (Ret.) Don Bacon, USAF. Mission: Readiness is an organization that promotes healthy living and good citizenship in our youth by providing them mentorship and advocacy from retired general officers and admirals.

For the past 55 years without fail, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) has been passed. Two versions of the NDAA are created, one in the House of Representatives and one in the Senate. The two versions are then formed into one NDAA at a conference where the senior leadership of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) reach an agreement on differences in their respective bills. HR 2810, the House version of the NDAA, passed the House of Representatives, overwhelmingly. In this bill, Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL) introduced a section that authorized the creation of a new branch of the military, the Space Corps.

The Space Corp leadership would report to the Secretary of the Air Force, however, it would be separate from the Air Force. The Senate version of the legislation, which has passed the SASC, but not yet made it to a vote on the Senate floor, did not include authorization for the creation of a Space Corps. The Department of Defense and the Department of the Air Force, in letters from the Honorable James Mattis and the Honorable Heather Wilson, have opposed the creation of a Space Corps at this time. There is still a great deal of study and analysis left to be done before a major and costly reorganization is executed. The Air Force Association continues to support the Air Force’s stance on the issue.

AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference is right around the corner, September 18-20. This conference is the nation's premier event for defense and aerospace professionals from across the globe. AFA brings together Air Force and DOD senior leaders including the Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Major Command Commanders, the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, and many more. Register today!

This year in celebration of the Air Force’s 70th Birthday, the Air Force Birthday Dinner will be held on Monday, September 18 and the Outstanding Airmen of the Year Dinner will be held on Wednesday, September 20.

Visit our website to learn more and register for the professional development conference for Airmen. Join AFA at for the biggest professional development event of the year.

Over the course of 2017, AFA has been honoring various individuals on social media using #70for70 who have made significant contributions to our Air Force over the past 70 years. So far, AFA has recognized over 50 individuals and the social media campaign will culminate at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference in celebration of the Air Force’s birthday.

A special thanks to Harris Corp. for their generous sponsorship of this social media campaign.

Among the several individuals honored this month, AFA recognizes Senator Orrin Hatch and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis. Senator Hatch, is a previous recipient of AFA’s W. Stuart Symington Award, which is presented to civilians who have made significant contributions to national defense. Secretary Mattis will deliver a keynote speech at our upcoming Air, Space & Cyber Conference on September 20, 2017.

The last fighter pilot to fly in a World War II and Spirit of ’45 Spokesman, Capt Jerry Yellin, is recognized for his tremendous service and commitment to duty over the past seven decades. Capt Yellin flew the P-40, P-47 and P-51 throughout WWII.

Tonya McGough is honored for putting her heart into everything she does to make sure our hidden heroes are never forgotten. AFA is proud to support Tonya and the Air Force Wounded Warrior program, which provides life changing resiliency training, team building activities and much needed “me time” for the caregivers of our wounded Airmen.

The National Champions of AFA’s StellarXplorers third annual space competition, team Sky Dragons from San Pedro High School in San Pedro, California are honored for their innovation in STEM fields. Learn more about StellarXplorers and register to compete in StellarXplorers IV, here.

SrA Marc Granville is an active AFA member and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Maryland, where he is a member of Arnold Air Society and completing ROTC training toward commissioning into the Air Force as an officer.

Lastly, AFA wishes General Hawk Carlisle, former Commander of Air Combat Command, a very happy retirement and thanks him for his years of dedicated service to ensuring airpower dominance.

Follow AFA on social media @AirForceAssoc to view upcoming #70for70 recipients or view those who have been previously honored, here.

The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies is pleased to announce the release of its newest Policy Paper, An Operational Imperative: The Future of Air Superiority by Brig Gen Alex Grynkewich, USAF.

Budget pressures and near-term priorities in lieu of long-term threats cut short investment in America’s air superiority capability at the same time other nations were developing advanced technologies in this critical mission area. In response to this challenge, Grynkewich was tasked by the Air Force to lead a team of air, space, cyber, logistics, and support experts in an exhaustive review of options to gain and maintain continued control of the air. The team assembled a report on their findings in May 2016, the Air Superiority 2030 Flight Plan, which assessed the state of the mission through 2030, and beyond.

Grynkewich, in this paper, takes us behind the scenes of his team’s efforts to come up with an air superiority plan for the 21st century. “Air superiority and unity of command in its employment will remain critical to the success of future joint operations,” Grynkewich writes. “Achieving air superiority in the future requires realizing the ascent of information as a dominant factor in warfare. Building an architecture that integrates data to create decision-quality knowledge is key,” he adds, as well as the ability to share it with sensor-shooters in every domain. He also highlights the need for the Department of Defense to change its acquisition approach, or risk the possibility of adversaries outpacing the US in air superiority capability development.

The Mitchell Institute Policy Papers is a series of occasional research papers presenting new thinking and proposals that respond to the emerging security and aerospace power challenges the US and its allies face in the 21st century. These papers are written for lawmakers, their staffs, policy professionals, business and industry leaders, academics, journalists, and the informed public. The series aims to provide in-depth policy insights and perspectives based on the experiences of the authors, accompanied by studious supporting research. For more information on this series, contact Mitchell Institute’s Director of Publications Marc Schanz at mschanz@afa.org or visit our website, at www.mitchellaerospacepower.org.

Courtney Conway is a native of Oxford, Mississippi and is also a senior at Mississippi State University pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Mathematics. She is an Air Force ROTC cadet at Detachment 425 and has been an active member of the Arnold Air Society Kenneth J. Snedden Squadron since her freshman year. Courtney became passionate about the organization after she met many “Arnies” throughout the years who inspired her to dedicate hard work for her community and squadron. Last year, Courtney decided to take her passion a step further by gathering a team of nine incredible young leaders and running for the Arnold Air Society National Headquarters and was recently elected at the 2017 National Conclave (NATCON) in Orlando, Fl. As the National Commander, she strives to collaborate with her team and AAS cadet leadership nationwide to work toward strengthening squadrons across the country and achieving the AAS mission to build strong Air Force officers.

Courtney and her team have developed a mission to promote quality communication, aid the development of Silver Wings and the Air Force Association, and promote service through recognition. Their goals for the organization include reaching over 100,000 service hours, activating or reactivating five squadrons, encourage 700 AAS members to attend NATCON, have two submissions to the Air Force ROTC Suggestion Program per squadron, 100 percent squadron participation with their local AFA chapter, and to activate one Silver Wings chapter Area. This year, one of their national initiatives is to coordinate with Silver Wings to promote and execute the Joint National Project – Trafficking, Abuse, Prevention, and Support Network (TAPS). Another joint initiative is to fundraise for the Air Force Aid Society through the AAS/SW National Fundraising Project.

As the Arnold Air Society National Commander, Courtney aims to utilize this opportunity to gain leadership and managerial experience, mentor “Arnie” leadership and young cadets, and ultimately maximize the capabilities of AAS through their mission and goals. She also hopes to improve joint relations among Arnold Air Society, Silvers Wings, and the Air Force Association and work with these sister organizations to accomplish their unique missions. Courtney is excited to lead the Arnold Air Society National Staff and work closely with the Silver Wings National Staff. She looks forward to another outstanding year! To learn more about Arnold Air Society, click here.

Over the course of the summer, four interns are joining AFA Staff at the headquarters office in Arlington, VA. The interns are all members of Arnold Air Society and Silver Wings and are also AFA members. Ranging from Air Force ROTC cadets to newly commissioned 2nd Lieutenants, these bright individuals will be working with AFA's Executive Office, Communications, Government Relations and CyberPatriot departments to develop new programs and initiatives to further improve your Air Force Association.

Savannah Wheat

In May, I earned a B.A. in Psychology and Minor in Global Cultures from Auburn University and commissioned through Air Force ROTC, Detachment 005, into the U.S. Air Force. This Fall I will report to Minot Air Force Base, Minot, ND to begin my journey as a Missile and Munitions Maintenance Officer. For the past 5 years, I have been a member of the Arnold Air Society (AAS) and credit the organization and our sister organization, Silver Wings (SW), with providing the most incredible memories, experiences, learning opportunities, and friendships of my life so far. I am grateful to AAS and SW for allowing me to intern for an organization I am passionate about. This summer at AFA HQ will be filled with great experiences and knowledge to bring back to my local AFA Chapter and through my career. It has been an adventure living in my favorite city (Especially being able to enjoy Independence Day in our nation’s capital!) and I cannot wait until I am able to continue my Air Force adventures in Minot!

Johnathan Slife

This fall I'll be starting my junior year at Yale University. I'm a Mechanical Engineering and Political Science double major, and involved in Air Force ROTC on campus. After graduation, I hope to commission as a pilot. Although I am not sure yet what I would like to fly, I have recently been looking more at the F-35 and V-22 and think both of those would be great choices. Working at AFA’s headquarters has been a blast, and the part that has made my experience so far has been the people. Everyone is excited to work with us and show us the behind the scenes work that goes into making AFA run smoothly. I look forward to bringing back what I have learned here to my ROTC detachment.

Olivia Jarvis

This fall I will return to Samford University to begin my junior year as an Economics and Finance major and Professional Officer Candidate in the Air Force ROTC cadet wing. When I’m not studying or marching, I enjoy getting outdoors to hike or backpack with friends. After graduation, I hope to commission as an Acquisitions Officer in the U.S. Air Force. I am incredibly thankful to have the opportunity to intern at the AFA. In my time here so far, I have had wonderful supervisors that have allowed me to sit-in on numerous important meetings and have aimed to give me purposeful tasks. These experiences have helped me grow personally, professionally, and as a leader, as well as opened my eyes to all the AFA does for our Air Force. In addition, learning to live in the D.C. area has been quite the adventure!

Trent Briscoe

In May 2017, I graduated from the University of Oklahoma with an Industrial and Systems Engineering degree and commissioned into the Air Force via ROTC. After the internship ends, I will be reporting to NAS Pensacola, FL and ‘suffering through the long winters’ there for Combat Systems Officer training. Outside of working for the Air Force Association, I genuinely enjoy traveling and exploring new places, which makes this adventure to DC all the more fun! I have had the unique opportunity to interact with some amazing people inside AFA HQ and at the various breakfasts that AFA hosts. I have also had the chance to witness AFA actively advocate on Capitol Hill and at the Pentagon for our Airmen on a daily basis.

AFA is a member of the Exchange Retiree Advisory Council, and their annual council meeting will be held on August 23, 2017. AFA serves as an advocate of the Exchange and the exchange benefit to the military community. We welcome your feedback or suggestions in our preparation for this meeting. Please contact Keith Zuegel, Senior Director of Government Relations at grl@afa.org.

Get to Know Your AFA Member Benefits

Are you getting the most out of your AFA membership? From insurance to shopping and travel discounts, AFA offers countless benefits to help you through every phase of life. Click here to learn more about all the benefits AFA offers our members.

Support AFA through USAA

USAA has been a valued partner of AFA for several years. USAA offers valuable financial services including banking, financial advice and investment planning.

Did you know? It’s now easier than ever to support AFA through your USAA membership. All USAA credit card holders can now donate $10 directly to AFA for every 1,000 reward points they have earned. Learn more about the USAA reward points donation program here.

June has been a busy month for AFA as we plan for our upcoming Air, Space & Cyber Conference and Technology Exposition, held this September 18-20th in National Harbor, MD. Our staff has been working tirelessly to ensure this year’s conference is the most memorable yet – packed with senior-level speakers and panels to inform you of the priorities and top issues of our Air Force leaders. With three months left, our Expo Hall is nearly filled with exhibitors from the top defense, aerospace and technology companies in the world. This will be an event you certainly won’t want to miss!

This year not only marks the 70th Birthday of our Air Force, it also marks the 50th anniversary of the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force position. AFA played a pivotal role in advocating for the establishment of this critical position in 1967 in order to give a stronger voice to our enlisted force. Join us at Air, Space & Cyber to celebrate these great milestones.

On June 5th, we held our inaugural AFA Breakfast Series on Capitol Hill with the new Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson. This was Secretary Wilson’s first public speaking event, where she outlined her priorities regarding modernization and personnel issues in front of a sold-out audience of Airmen, industry leaders and media. July speakers include General Mike Holmes, Commander of Air Combat Command and Air Force Chief of Staff, General Dave Goldfein.

CyberPatriot and StellarXplorers, our two flagship STEM education programs, are off to a great start this month as well. CyberPatriot’s third season of AFA CyberCamps began on June 5th with over 105 host organizations in 160 locations. See which CyberCamps are in your area, here. StellarXplorers Director, Stephen Gourley, published a great article in Innovation & Technology Today on the importance of quality STEM education for our younger generations. Read it here.

I had the privilege of attending the AFA sponsored “Bleed Blue” event on Capitol Hill that brought the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force together with members of Congress. I was also honored to represent AFA at the retirement ceremony for former Acting Secretary of the Air Force Lisa Disbrow. Ms. Disbrow is a visionary leader who took great care of our Air Force and our Airmen throughout her tenure and worked closely with AFA to promote a dominant Air Force. Lisa will be sorely missed, but has promised to remain involved with AFA in retirement.

As we look forward to July 4th next week, please take time to celebrate our freedom and reflect on the sacrifices made by so many to defend it. I encourage you to thank an Airman, Soldier, Marine or Sailor for their service and sacrifice to our great nation. Enjoy a safe holiday weekend!